Turtlehead (Chelone glabra)From all-creatures.orgArt and Photo Journalsand Galleries DirectoryDedicated to the Preservation and Restoration of the Whole of CreationHumans - Animals - Environment"And God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good.
And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day" (Genesis 1:31)

Wild Flowers of Sleepy Hollow Lake- Turtlehead (Chelone glabra) -†This
is a relatively rare or endangered species and should not be picked or destroyed†
(To enlarge the photos, click on the photos or links)

(Turtlehead - 01)
We found these rare turtlehead wildflowers growing on the edge of a drainage
ditch just off the side of the road. Turtleheads are usually found along
the edges of lakes, rivers and streams, or in other normally wet ground areas.
The literature says that they can grow to heights of 2-5 feet, but all of the
ones we have found have been relatively short. These were only about a
foot in height.

(Turtlehead - 02)
The lanceolate leaves of the turtlehead grow opposite one another and are
sharply toothed. The flowers are usually about one inch in length, but may
be as long as one and one-half inches.

(Turtlehead - 02a)
In this photo, we get a closer look at the top of the turtlehead bloom.
The turtlehead blooms from August to October. We found these in early
October, and judging from the buds, it appears that it is just beginning to
bloom. The flowers of the turtlehead form a tightly packed spike at the
top of the plant.

(Turtlehead - 03)
The turtlehead got its name because the corolla looks something like the head of
a turtle, which is also reflected in the scientific name "chelone," which in
Greek means "tortoise." In this photo, we can also see the short stems on
the leaves where they branch off from the stalk.

(Turtlehead - 04)
In this photo of the turtlehead, we can see more of the beginnings of the
flowering spike.

(Turtlehead - 04a)
This is a semi-frontal view of a single turtlehead flower with its "open mouth"
and "hairy tongue."

(Turtlehead - 05)
In this close-up photo of the turtlehead flower, we can see more clearly the
"hairy tongue" and the "rippled" edge of the petal at the side of the "mouth."

(Turtlehead - 06)
This is another close-up side view of the "mouth" of the turtlehead.

(Turtlehead - 07)
The five petals that form the two-lipped flower of the turtlehead are very hard
to distinguish in the tubular construction of the corolla. In this bee's
eye view we can also see the notch in the lower part of the three-lobed lower
lip, and the hairy tongue.

(Turtlehead - 08)
In this underside view of the turtlehead flower we can see more of the detail of
the the three-lobed lower lip.

(Turtlehead - 08a)
This is another bee's eye look into the open mouth of the turtlehead flower.
Even at this close range, it is hard to see the pistil and five stamens.

(Turtlehead - 09)
In this side view of the turtlehead, we can look into the open mouth of the
flower in the center of the photo, and see the pistil and five stamens.

(Turtlehead - 10)
In this bee's eye view into the open mouth of the turtlehead flower, we can more
clearly see the detail of the construction.

(Turtlehead - 11)
This photo gives an interesting perspective of a turtlehead leaf with a flower
in the background.

(Turtlehead - 12)
This side view of the turtlehead gives a good perspective of the opposite-
growing leaves and the beginning of the spike formation, which in this plant
will most likely be underdeveloped.

(Turtlehead - 13)
This turtlehead wildflower has a fully developed spike, and the flowers have a
pinkish tint, an occasional occurrence.

(Turtlehead - 14)
In this close-up of one of the turtlehead flowers, we can see more of the pink
coloration. This is not the pink-flowered species, which has stalked
leaves.

(Turtlehead - 15)
"This bumble bee was enjoying our turtle heads", said Laurie Dobbs and Craig
White, who sent us this photo. Craig White is the photographer
dcwdcw444@hotmail.com The pink
color of this turtlehead may be a variant of the same species, or it may be a C.
obliqua (we did not have enough information to make a determination).

(Turtlehead - 15a)
This is a close-up look at Craig White's photo of the bee in the "mouth" of the
turtlehead.

(Turtlehead - 16)
On one of our late Summer walks, we spotted a small patch of turtlehead
wildflowers growing in a drainage ditch along the side of the road.

(Turtlehead - 16a)
This is a closer look at the turtlehead. Note at the bottom of the photo
that the 4 leaves just below the flower spike appear to be growing in a rosette
and not just opposite one another, as they do lower down on the stem.

(Turtlehead - 17)
This is another look at one of the turtlehead wild flowers.

(Turtlehead - 18)
This is a top view of some of the turtlehead wildflowers growing along the side
of the road.

(Turtlehead - 18a)
This is a closer (top) look at one of the flower spikes of a turtlehead
wildflower.

(Turtlehead - 19)
This is another look at the turtlehead wildflowers that were growing along the
side of the road.

(Turtlehead - 19a)
In this view of the turtlehead wildflower, we can see the rosette of 4 leaves
growing below the flower spike, and the pair of opposite growing leaves further
down on the stem.

Presented here
are just a few of the countless components of God's creation. Just as we
cannot have human and animal life without water and plants, neither can we have lasting peace without
love and compassion. It is our hope
and prayer that this series will motivate people to live and act in a
cruelty-free manner; that we would no longer hurt or destroy each other, the
animals or our environment.

If you would like to contribute a photo to
these series, please contact;Frank L. Hoffman flh@all-creatures.org